What The Heart Wants
by DramaMeow
Summary: This story starts at the end of episode 14. Choi Young's brain knows he must send Eun Soo back to her world, but his heart wants something different.
1. Chapter 1

_****This story begins in Episode 14 after Eun Soo speaks to Choi Young through the room door. She tells him that she'll miss him when she goes back to heaven and then she falls asleep…_

Choi Young woke quickly, his senses reaching for the source that jolted him into awareness. He rose from his position against Eui Seon's door and listened. A faint whimpering slid through the cracks in the door. His heart skipped a beat.

"Eui Seon?" He said in a low voice against the door, his body tense and ready.

More whimpering and…words? Was Eui Seon talking in her sleep? He opened the door quietly and moved to her palette. She lay on her side, eyes closed, thick hair spilling across her pillow. Her face was pinched with pain.

"No! Don't die! You can't die!" She moaned in quick gasps, her small hands clenching the sheets.

His stomach felt hollow as he threw down his sword and dropped to his knees next to her. "Eui Seon!" He said urgently, shaking her shoulders vigorously. "Eui Seon! Wake up!"

She continued to moan and even began to thrash. He adjusted his position and pulled her slight weight into his lap on the floor, cradling her head on his shoulder. "Eui Seon! Wake—"

Her beautiful eyes suddenly popped open and her breaths came in staggered waves. "Choi Young!" She whispered harshly, placing both hands on either side of his face. "You're okay?"

He ignored her strange question and instead searched her pale face for answers. "What happened? Are you sick?"

"No, it was…a nightmare. I thought you were—" She trailed off, and he felt her body stiffen against his as she realized the position they were in, bodies touching, mouths only inches apart.

_Just put her back in bed and go back to your post,_ Choi Young's brain ordered. _She's nothing but a distraction._

_Kiss her,_ his heart argued. _Her lips are so close…_

"Was I in your nightmare?" He couldn't stop himself from asking as he searched her eyes.

She nodded shyly, slowing lowering her hands from his face. "I thought you died."

His arms tightened around her. The thought of her alone in this world without him to protect her was unbearable. The thought of being without her was unbearable.

_But you have to send her back. She doesn't belong here. Look at how this world has destroyed her happiness,_ said his brain.

His heart cut in quickly. _But you can give her a new kind of happiness._

"I'm right here," he replied in a strangled voice, eyes trained on her pink lips. "I'll always be right here."

Her eyes flew back to his just as he lowered his head and touched his lips to hers. At first, she tensed, pressing her hands against his chest, but after only the briefest moment, her hands fisted in his tunic, pulling him closer.

Choi Young fought for control but Eui Seon tasted like pure joy. Her soft lips were a balm to his soul that soothed even as they set fire to his body. His hands sought her glorious hair, fisting in her sleek locks so he could deepen the kiss. God, he'd wanted to do this for so long.

He broke the kiss and stood swiftly, easily lifting her into his arms. She blinked at him owlishly, hair deliciously mussed and mouth swollen from his lips. "What's wrong?"

"Fighting outside." He gently placed her on the bed and grabbed his sword. "Stay here."

Eun Soo watched dumbly as Choi Young quickly left the room with purposeful strides. She stared at the closed doors as her heart pounded and her head swam. What just happened?

_You kissed the psycho, that's what happened!_ her brain hissed in disgust.

_Psycho or not, the man knows how to kiss!_ swooned her heart.

She gently touched her lips and shook her head._ I can't believe he kissed me! He hates me…he has from day one. And I—well I don't like him, either. I mean, he kidnapped me and brought me to this crazy world where everyone wants to kill me or capture me. The only reason he's taking me to the Door now is because he feels sorry for kidnapping me in the first place._

Eun Soo dropped her hand and began pacing the room, talking to herself. "Sure, he's gorgeous, and strong, and an awesome kisser but there's no way I can like him! I can't be that pathetic!" She froze in her tracks and bit her lip. "Can I?"

A creaking noise sounded outside of the window and she started. "Who's—"

The window suddenly shattered and a man dressed all in black landed in a crouch next to her feet. Eun Soo screamed and ran for the door. She felt the man's fingers brush the back of her tunic as the door was wrenched open. Choi Young, black eyes glittering with fury, grabbed her and placed himself between her and the attacker.

Choi Young struck with his sword but the man blocked with his own. Eun Soo pressed herself against the hallway wall as the two men fought, praying Choi Young wouldn't be hurt. The man feinted left but Choi Young anticipated his attack and stabbed him through chest with his sword. The man fell to the ground and lay still.

Breathing hard, Choi Young turned to her, his gaze sweeping over her. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head, grateful when Choi Young stepped closer and his wide shoulders blocked out the sight of the dead man.

"Captain?" Called Deok Man, jogging up to them. "There were five attackers, but one fled."

Choi Young gestured behind him without taking his eyes off of a visibly shaken Eun Soo, "There were six."

Deok Man noticed the man and nodded. "The bodies have been moved."

"Good. Our location has been compromised. Ready the men. We move soon."

"Yes, Captain," Deok Man bowed and hurried away.

Choi Young reached for Eun Soo and she jerked away, eyes tightly closed. Her small frame shook with violent tremors. His heart ached watching her suffer.

_This is why you must send her back. She's not meant for this world_, his brain said.

His heart said nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

***Chapter 2

Eun Soo clutched her small sack of belongings to her chest, her eyes nervously flitting from side to side, searching the darkness for other attackers. Choi Young had ordered everyone in their party to move stealthily through the moonlit streets to another secure location. But, even surrounded by three members of Wu Dal Chi and Choi Young, she felt skittish and brittle, as if a hole would suddenly appear below her and the world would swallow her up.

_And I'll never see my home again_, she thought in a panic, tripping over a patch of uneven ground. Choi Young was beside her in an instant, steadying her. She looked up at his stern profile through her lashes and he quickly looked away and rejoined the circle of men guarding her. Inwardly, she sighed, hating the way her heart did a belly flop whenever the serious Captain was around.

_It would never work,_ her head chided. _He's about as friendly as a parking ticket._

_But he's such an admirable person! You know he would sacrifice anything to protect his king or country,_ her heart protested. _And, let's not forget his abs._

_Oh yeah, his abs, _swooned her head.

Eun Soo frowned, ignoring both offending organs. _His character and hotness aside, he is from the past and I am from the future. We could never bridge the gap between us. He's practically a dinosaur!_

Her head snickered. _Actually, you are both in the present._

_Oh, shut up! You know what I mean. What about hobbies or interests? We have nothing in common. Not to mention, he kills for a living! I am a doctor. I am sworn to save people and he is sworn to kill people. We could never be together._

In front of her, Choi Young turned around quickly, forcing everyone to halt. He looked at the three warriors around her and gave them a series of hand signals. They nodded and continued walking. He grasped her arm and led her quickly to a nearby alcove at the front of a dark building. He held a finger to his lips at her questioning look.

After a few seconds, footsteps sounded from around the alcove. Choi Young pressed his chest into hers, trapping her against the wall of the alcove and blocking her entire body from view. She held her breath and closed her eyes, trying desperately not to breathe in his wild, masculine scent or stare at the broad expanse of his pecs.

The footsteps passed by their hiding place without breaking stride.

The captain stepped away from her and peered out into the darkness. After confirming they were no longer being followed, he took her arm again and led her back into the streets.

Choi Young rubbed his chest, trying to forget the feeling of Eui Seon's soft breasts pressed deliciously against his body. Having a hard on in front of the beautiful doctor wasn't his idea of suave.

"You can sleep here," he said, gesturing to a wide palette in a small room in the rear of a restaurant. The owner and his wife had been persuaded to vacate the room and sleep in the main part of the building with the members of Wu Dal Chi-for a few extra coins, of course.

He saw her nod in his peripheral, her face unusually pale and drawn. Turning to leave, he froze as a small hand gripped his sleeve. His eyes found hers in the near darkness. "Please stay."

Her whisper echoed across the space like a whip crack. He swallowed hard, avoiding her eyes. He needed to stay far away from her before his attraction to her got further out of hand. "I will just be outside—"

"Please," she urged, her huge eyes pleading. She gestured to the window, reminding him of how the attacker had entered her room. The fear in her eyes made him want to wrap his arms around her…and also to send her back to the safety of her world as soon as possible.

_I prefer the first option_, his heart put in.

He considered refusing, but only for a split second. _Control yourself, Choi Young! You are not a woman-crazed young boy. Just don't touch her and you'll be fine._

"Okay," he finally agreed, moving to the corner near the foot of the bed. He sat stiffly with his back against the wall and closed his eyes.

"No way. You sleep in the bed," Eui Seon demanded and his eyes popped open in surprise. She had her hands on her hips and she sounded a little more like her usual self. "You haven't slept in 2 days. I will sleep against the wall."

Before he could protest, she mirrored his pose but on the opposite wall.

"I am too tired to fight with you. Please get in the bed," he ordered, closing his eyes again.

She fired back at him. "Exactly my point! You're too tired to fight _anybody_."

He frowned and began to retort but his head made an entry into the conversation. _She's right, you know. How can you effectively protect her if you can barely function? You need sleep._

_Dammit._

He let out a loud sigh. "Fine. I'll sleep in the bed for a few hours and then we will switch places, understand?"

"No. You will stay in the bed all night. Your doctor says you need a solid night's sleep."

Infuriating woman! Growling, Choi Young got to his feet. "I am not sleeping comfortably unless you sleep comfortably."

Eui Seon got to her feet as well. "Fine! Then let's both sleep on the bed. It's big enough for both of us." She pointed to one half of the bed and then the other. "You stay on your side and I'll stay on mine."

He considered, and then ignored the warning bells going off in his head. "Fine. But stay on your side."

A rooster crowed outside and Eun Soo slowly woke. She clutched the incredibly warm blanket closer to her body and ignored the call to get up.

_This is such a comfortable bed_, she thought, snuggling into the firm pillow. For the first time since her arrival into this world, she felt completely relaxed and totally rested. The pillow moved a little so she squeezed it closer and buried her face—

The pillow moved!

Eun Soo's eyes flew open. The first thing she saw was her arm…laying over Choi Young's broad chest. One leg was thrown over his leg, trapping him to the bed. She was practically climbing all over him! But thankfully, she quickly noted, he was still asleep.

She froze, not wanting to wake him. If he discovered her clinging to him like head lice, he would throw a fit!

_I have to figure out how to move away without waking him!_

Nearly ten minutes passed as she inched her appendages from his body, little by little. When she was free, she turned onto her side with her back to him, just in case he woke up suddenly.

_I can't believe he didn't wake up!_ She thought with relief, trying to still her erratic heartbeat.

_But, in all fairness, he is a great pillow!_ Chimed her heart.

Eun Soo just smiled and felt her cheeks heat. _Oh, yes, he is_.

Choi Young mourned the loss of Eun Soo's softness draped over his body. He continued to feign sleep despite having been awake for the last two hours—exactly the time when she had snuggled her body up to his. He had considered moving her back to her side of the bed (after the initial shock), but that thought had lasted for all of one second. The feel of her freely touching him was...intoxicating.

_I'm very disappointed in you, warrior!_ his head barked.

_I'm finding it hard to give a shit, _he responded, trying to keep a satisfied grin off of his 'sleeping' face.


	3. Chapter 3

Eun Soo sat at a table inside of the restaurant, pouring over her diary and her ever-growing pile of notes. So far, with the help of a surprisingly literate Deok Man, she'd been able to create herself a hanja-to-modern Korean dictionary of useful words and phrases. She had decided to brush up on her hanja since, without Dr. Jang's book, she wouldn't be able figure out the actual time the heaven's door would open. And, since Choi Young had forbidden her to leave the restaurant without him, she was stuck inside until he returned.

"I really wish you guys had TV," she grumbled, angling her paintbrush to correctly mimic Deok Man's hanja characters for 'headache'.

The young soldier sitting across from her frowned in confusion. "What's TV?"

She sighed, knowing she shouldn't have said anything out loud. Both Deok Man and Dae Man had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge about her world. "It's a box that many people have in their houses. You can see actors and actresses on it."

"Like a traveling theater troupe?"

"Um, kind of. Except they don't travel. They just stay in one place."

"So how can you see them?"

"Nevermind!" Eun Soo barked in exasperation. She finished her line of practice characters and showed them to Deok Man. "How did I do?"

His eyes widened and he began to laugh. "It is done as if by a child's hand!"

"Hey!" She protested in anger, but took another look at her tremulous characters and began to giggle herself.

Irritated by the information he'd been given by his spies, Choi Young felt an unreasonable amount of anger when he walked into the restaurant to find Eui Seon and Deok Man laughing together. It seemed obvious that the young man was completely infatuated with the beautiful doctor.

Choi Young clenched his sword and fought the urge to punch his soldier in the face and declare to the world that Eui Seon belonged to him.

"Deok Man!" He barked, and the soldier was on his feet at attention, all traces of humor gone.

Eui Seon looked up and gave him a wary smile. Choi Young lost his train of thought for a moment.

He blinked a few times and turned to Deok Man. "Tell Dae Man to shadow Advisor Jo immediately. I want to know who he meets with and what he says."

"Yes, captain," saluted the warrior before he hurried off.

Eui Seon's grin slowly faded. "Is everything okay?"

"Deok Heung is planning something big," Choi Young replied tersely, his eyes straying to the sheaves of paper on the table. "What are you doing?"

She brightened a little. "Practicing my hanja. Deok Man is a pretty good teacher."

Choi Young's face darkened. "In the future, you will not ask Deok Man or any member of Wu Dal Chi for this kind of assistance—you will ask me. Their duty is to protect you, not help you learn basic skills."

He finished his tirade, feeling his jealousy ebb a little. But he immediately felt like an ass as Eui Seon's face fell in shame and then colored in anger. "I happen to think protecting me and helping me are similar duties."

She got up from the table and stomped out of the main room towards the small bedroom they had shared last night. He heard a door slam and then all was quiet.

_That was rude of you_, said his heart.

_I know it's a bit strange, but I agree,_ added his head.

"Shit," Choi Young uttered into the silence, hanging his head._ I would rather face an army of a thousand seasoned warriors than face Eui Seon right now._

_Coward,_ said both of his talkative organs in unison.

Taking a deep breath and one step, he steeled himself for the inevitable confrontation—

The restaurant's main door flew open and Choong Seok rushed in. "Captain! Deuk Heung's soldiers are attacking the palace!"

Choi Young took one more step towards the room containing a pissed off Eui Seon before turning to Choong Seok.

Would it always be like this? Him choosing the palace over her?

Eun Soo paced back and forth in the tiny room for nearly an hour, her legs had gone wobbly from fatigue half that time ago. She was so angry at Choi Young that her tiny frame literally vibrated with anger. His words had been completely out of line. And the coward had yet to come and apologize!

_He's such a jerk! I can't believe I have ever considered him worthy of respect. Handsome, okay, he's got that in the bag, but worthy of respect! Ha! I'd rather kiss a camel's ass!_

She stopped suddenly, hearing shouts and the pounding of running feet outside. Hesitantly, she crept out into the main restaurant. There were six Wu Dal Chi members, Dae Man among them, with their swords drawn, facing the entrance.

"What's going on?" She asked, coming into the room.

All of the soldiers jumped a bit from shock but recovered quickly. Spiky-haired Dae Man bounced over to her, eyes full of worry. "Excellency Deuk Heung is attacking the palace!"

Eun Soo gasped. "No! What about the king and the queen? Where's Choi Young?"

"Don't worry, the captain will save them," Dae Man replied, head nodded emphatically.

Her stomach did a disgusting flop at the thought of Choi Young in the midst of a fierce battle. _What if he dies!_

_You're no help to him if you just stand around like a hand-wringing wife, _her head stated boldly. _Just do what you do best._

Despite the terrible feeling in her stomach, she gathered her courage. "Tell the soldiers to bring the wounded here. I will tend to them."

Dae Man's eyes rounded. "But the captain said you were to be guarded at all costs! I can't leave you."

"Go!" She shouted at the little man and he scurried off to do her bidding. After only ten minutes, Dae Man returned with three patients and her work began.

"Put them on the tables. Get me boiled water and fresh linens," she ordered Dae Man, rolling up her sleeves.

Several hours later, a weary Choi Young entered the restaurant to find a full-fledged emergency room in operation. At least twenty men lay in various places around the room, most on the top of the tables or on the benches beside them. Standing over one moaning man was Eui Seon.

"It'll be over soon," she cooed to her patient, and then in a stronger voice said, "Dae Man, hold him down."

Choi Young watched, dumbfounded, as the gorgeous doctor set and splinted the man's broken forearm. She dripped a few drops of something from a small jar over the jagged skin where his bone had been protruding and then calmly wrapped it. She cinched the last tie on his bandage and turned to wash her bloody hands in a pot of water. Even from across the room, Choi Young could see that Eui Seon was almost dead on her feet with exhaustion.

Dae Man looked up from gathering the soiled linens and his eyes widened. "Captain!"

Eui Seon's head snapped up and she whirled around. He stood stock still as she ran to him with terror in her tired eyes and began running her hands all over his body.

"Are you hurt? There's so much blood!" She cried, her voice full of panic. "Where are you hurt? Tell me!"

Choi Young dropped his sword and grasped her flailing hands in his. She swallowed hard, her eyes devouring his.

He felt a warmth creep over his cold soul as he looked into her shining eyes so full of concern for him. "I'm okay."

"Take your tunic off," Eui Seon ordered, placing her supplies and tools on a low table. Choi Young, sitting on a low stool in the small bedroom, ignored her and continued to wipe the blood from his sword. She marched in front of him and stood with her hands planted on her hips. "Don't make me tell you again."

Choi Young saw the determined glint in her eyes but quickly averted his eyes to his sword. "I told you I'm fine."

"Captain, take off your tunic right now or I will cut it from your body."

His eyes widened at the very un-Eui Seon-like growl that emanated from her tiny frame. One glance at the steely look in her eyes made him comply. He gingerly removed his bloodstained tunic and dropped in to the floor, revealing his naked chest covered in old scars and fresh cuts. Eui Seon sucked in a sharp breath and dropped to her knees before him, methodically running her hands along the wounds.

He found it incredibly difficult to control his body's natural reaction to her gentle touch as she examined him. When she moved behind him, finding the deepest cut on his right shoulder, her silky hair slid over his skin, making his groin tighten painfully.

She leaned in for a closer inspection of the gash. "I'll need to suture this," she said in a strained voice.

Choi Young nodded jerkily, trying not to groan as her warm breath ghosted across his neck. She prepped the wound and had it stitched and bandaged in a short time.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Thank you—"

He finally began to relax as he heard her put away her tools from behind him—but then stiffened in shock as he felt drops of water fall onto his shoulder blades. Was she crying?

His heart stuttered.

Slowly, he turned around. She kept her head bent, hands busy folding the unused linens, hair curtaining her face. He touched her chin and raised her head up until her moist eyes met his.

"Why?" He asked, brushing a tear from her white cheek. "I don't deserve your tears."

Eui Seon sniffled and smacked his hand away. "I agree! You're such a jerk!"

She staggered to her feet, heading for the door but Choi Young leapt up and grasped her from behind. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pressed her body against his.

Eui Seon froze, hating how much she loved the feel of his muscled body against hers.

"I'm sorry," he said roughly, heart hammering against his ribcage.

Butterflies churned in his stomach as he gently rotated her to face him while keeping a firm grip on her shoulders. Her chest rose and fell quickly, and her cheeks were beautifully flushed. She looked ready to flee at any moment.

_She's not for you!_ his head reminded him urgently.

_She's your woman! _his heart roared in triumph.

Choi Young couldn't deny it any longer._ Yes, she is._

He bent his head and captured her lips, loving that she tasted even sweeter than the first time they'd kissed. She didn't hesitate at all, but grasped his arms and molded herself to him, kissing him back with a ferocity that rocked him to the core.

He backed her into the door, devouring her lips and letting his hands settle on her softly rounded hips. The soft gasp that issued from her mouth shredded the last of his control. With a growl, he swept her into his arms and carried her to the palette, depositing her easily on top of it. He followed her down, covering her body with his. Her hands tangled impatiently in his hair, urging his mouth back to hers.

"Captain!" Came a loud voice through the door. It was Choong Seok. "Captain! Are you in there?"

Eui Seon let out a cry of shock that shattered the wall of heat surrounding them. Choi Young cursed and briefly touched his forehead to hers, breath coming in heavy gasps. Unless Choong Seok had news of the king, he would kill the man with his bare hands.

Getting to his feet, he pulled on his tunic, grabbed his sword, and wrenched open the door. "What?!"

Choong Seok stumbled back a step as Choi Young came through the door and slammed in closed behind him. "Um, the king has been located, captain."

Choi Young nodded, wishing with all of his being that he was still inside the room with Eui Seon. He stomped towards the dining area, berating himself. Once again, he had to choose the palace over her.

_I don't deserve your tears, Eui Seon. And I certainly don't deserve you._


	4. Chapter 4

Eun Soo moved robotically, checking every patient still in the dining area. Their pulses were good and they seemed to be doing well—but she was a different story. Inside, a confusing storm raged in her mind, threatening to tear her entire soul apart.

_What am I going to do? I'm falling for the psycho! But I'm not even from here…I shouldn't even be in this world! He's going to take me back to my world. He promised._

She sighed, knowing that Choi Young's promise meant everything to him. He would send her back—no matter what.

_Not to mention, he is so important here. I may be a temporary distraction for him, but he is too vital for this time period to just drop his work and stay with me. _

She stared at the closed restaurant doors, knowing that Choi Young had left as soon as the king had been found. _He can't protect the king and me at the same time._

With a shake of her head, she checked the bandages around a soldier's head._ What kind of terrible person would I be if I ruined history because I kept the great General Choi Young from protecting the Korea I know and love?_

She threw her shoulders back and reached for the next patient as her heart lurched uncomfortably in her chest. _And it doesn't matter anyway because I want to go back,_ she declared. _I'll continue my life, meet a great guy, and get married-in my own world. I don't belong here. I never have._

_But you love him,_ whimpered her heart.

_Yeah, but life doesn't always have a happy ending._

****** Two weeks later

"You're doing it again!" Choi Young barked.

Dae Man stopped biting his nails and shrunk away from his captain. Ever since Eui Seon had been brought back to the secured palace, Choi Young had become an irritable, angry bear. It was common knowledge that the two no longer spoke to each other. They had seemed strangely close before the battle in the palace. No one could understand why they suddenly avoided each other like the plague.

"Where is Deok Man?" Choi Young growled, running a rag along the edge of his sword.

"At the clinic. Dr. Jang is t-treating his arrow wound," Dae Man stuttered. He saw the captain's eyes narrow at him at the mention of Dr. Jang. Eui Seon had been established in the palace clinic as Dr. Jang's apprentice while she deciphered the dates in her notebook. Rumor had it that Dr. Jang and the beautiful doctor had become very close while working together day in and day out.

Choi Young cleared his throat as jealousy burned in his gut. He hated seeing Eui Seon and Dr. Jang together, laughing, talking, heads bent close…

He jumped to his feet, still gripping his naked blade. The urge to punch Dr. Jang in the face became overwhelming. "I need to speak to Deok Man. Now."

Dae Man gulped and trailed after his captain. _This won't end well!_

Choi Young's long legs ate up the distance between the Wu Dal Chi compound and the clinic in minutes. He stood in the doorway unnoticed, glaring at the occupants of the room. Dr. Jang examined Deok Man's back and spoke of the possible treatments in his usual low, soothing tones. Eui Seon, clad in white robes and a ponytail, leaned over Dr. Jang's shoulder, her lips inches from his face. Choi Young found himself nearly blinded by the red film over his vision.

"Deok Man!" He snapped, enjoying the look of surprise on the doctors' faces.

His soldier was up off the table in an instant. "Yes, captain."

Dr. Jang held up a fine-boned hand. "Please, captain, I have not finished treating him."

Eui Seon placed her hands on her curvy hips and glared at him. "Whatever it is, it can wait."

Choi Young almost preened as he basked in the glow of her attention—even if it wasn't exactly good attention.

"I will say what can and can't wait," he countered, crossing his arms across his chest.

Dr. Jang began to speak but Eui Seon placed a hand on his arm, inflaming Choi Young's anger further. "Don't worry, doctor. I will deal with him."

She marched up to Choi Young and stood toe-to-toe with him, eyes cutting straight to his. He leaned forward slightly and their chests brushed against each other for an instant. Awareness shot through him like a bolt of lightning and he watched a matching emotion pass through Eui Seon's expressive eyes. Her lips parted and she wet them gently with her pink tongue.

"Let's speak outside," he ground out, barely able to stop himself from taking her mouth then and there.

They moved out into the herb garden and faced each other again. Eui Seon folded her arms across her chest and put a little space between them. "What do you think you—"

"Why won't you speak to me?" He demanded, cutting her off.

Her eyes sparkled with anger. "Me not speak to you? You must have shit for brains, psycho. You haven't spoken to me in two weeks!"

He took a step forward, towering over her. "I have treated you with courtesy. You treat me like a…ghost!"

"It's your own damned fault!" She shouted and began to walk away.

Choi Young caught her arm and spun her around. "What—"

The tears shimmering in her big eyes stopped him cold. He felt his stomach drop. Eui Seon's tears were his undoing.

He reached out and brushed a drop her from smooth cheek. "Why?"

"I—"

The air shifted strangely and Choi Young pulled Eui Seon to him and hunched protectively over her. A dagger flew inches over their heads and embedded itself in the side of the clinic.

"Dae Man!" Choi Young shouted and the small warrior appeared by their side. "Take Eui Seon to Dr. Jang and protect her!"

Dae Man nodded and grasped Eun Soo's hand, pulling her towards the clinic. Choi Young pulled out his sword and deflected two more daggers aimed at his woman. He noted four masked attackers on the roof and three that had just jumped into the herb garden to face him.

He flexed his muscles and centered himself. Protecting his woman is what he did best.

Eun Soo crouched under a table as Dae Man and Dr. Jang fought the endless line of murderous masked men just outside of the clinic door. She could hear the clang of steel on steel as Choi Young took on countless opponents by himself.

She shivered, heart pounding with dread even as blood ran cold. What if something happens to him?

Choi Young pulled his sword from the belly of the last man. His eyes scanned the area for more attackers but found none. He whirled around to find Dr. Jang and Dae Man doing the same in front of the clinic door.

"Eui Seon? Where is she?" He asked, striding towards the clinic.

"Choi Young!" Came a shrill reply and Eui Seon burst from the clinic door, pushed past the two men blocking the door, and threw herself at the captain.

She ran her hands all over his body, hot tears streaming down her face. "Are you hurt? Tell me where!"

He grabbed her fluttering hands in his and locked eyes with her. "It's okay. I'm fine."

With a small cry of relief she flung her arms around his neck and squeezed. "Oh, thank God!"

"You and I need to talk."

Eun Soo nodded mutely and allowed Choi Young to lead her to his room in the Wu Dal Chi compound. She was still dazed from the attack, but at least no one, other than the attackers, had been hurt. Choi Young had ordered his men to investigate the incident and to clean up the bodies strewn all over the herb garden.

Choi Young sat her down on a low bench and pulled a chair over to sit in front of her. She squirmed a little beneath the heat of his captivating brown eyes.

"Tell me why you have ignored me."

Eun Soo squirmed more. There was no avoiding him this time. "I haven't been ignoring you, per se." His eyebrows went up. "I have been trying to…forget you."

He frowned. "Forget me? Why would you do that?"

"Because," she said, now staring at her hands clenched in her lap. "I like you."

He blinked a few times in confusion. "You like me, so you are trying to forget me."

"You are you!" She cried, gesturing at him. "You are such an important figure in this world. You have so many responsibilities and lives to protect. How can I intrude into your life? And I'm going back to my world, though I don't know how I'm going to live without you. How am I going to forget about this world, about the king and the queen, about Dr. Jang and all of Wu Dal Chi. How am I supposed to live knowing you are here, possibly injured? I like you. That's why I'm ignoring you. Satisfied?!"

Everything had come out in a rush and Eun Soo's eyes flew to his, knowing she had said some things she hadn't meant to say out loud.

The captain sat there staring at her in shock. Slowly, a smile crept across his face. "So, you really like me?"

She looked at with trepidation. "Yeah…"

He cracked a full, boyish grin that took years off of his handsome face. "That's all I needed to hear."

Still smiling, Choi Young cupped the back of her head and joined his lips with hers. Eun Soo kissed him back with a happiness she hadn't felt in days. It was like she had been living without the sun for the past two weeks. Now, she just wanted to soak up as many rays as possible.

Choi Young slowly pulled away from her, his expression serious. "I want you to stay here with me until I return you to the Heaven's Gate."

Her heart constricted at the thought of leaving him but his declaration cut through pain. "Here? In your room?"

He nodded, his eyes pleading. "Please, stay next to me."


	5. Chapter 5

Eun Soo glanced around Choi Young's clean, but small, living quarters. A nervous shiver raced through her body as her eyes met his again. The thought of staying here with him was thrilling…and more than a little frightening. She'd had boyfriends before, sure, but she'd never made it past the proverbial second base of kissing and some heavy petting.

_Oh, please say you're going to hit a home run with this guy!_ Blurted out her heart.

_I one hundred percent concur, _added her head.

She couldn't help the flush that suffused her cheeks.

"Okay," she said, squeezing his hand that still held hers. "Let's do it."

Eun Soo returned to the clinic with an extremely grumpy Choi Young in tow. His elation at her acceptance of his offer had plummeted when she had announced that she needed to return to the clinic in order to assist Dr. Jang. Despite Choi Young's protests that it was too dangerous and that she would be much safer staying in his room all day every day, she had convinced him to escort her back to the clinic.

They arrived at the clinic to find almost all evidence of the attack gone. Dr. Jang was bent over a gently simmering pot.

"Eui Seon, I am glad you have returned," he said, straightening and coming over to them. "Are you sure you are okay? Let me check your pulse."

He reached for Eun Soo but Choi Young knocked his hand away with a growl. "Do not touch her unnecessarily if you value your hands, Doctor."

Dr. Jang slowly pulled back his hand and calmly met Choi Young's fierce expression. "Of course, captain. Please do not misunderstand."

The men continued to stare at each other until Eun Soo placed her hand on Choi Young's arm. "I'll see you at dusk."

As soon as she touched him, Choi Young forgot about Dr. Jang entirely. His arm muscles flexed beneath her warm grip and he felt her unique glow suffuse his body. "Do not leave here until I arrive."

Eun Soo nodded and gave him a parting smile as he left the clinic. Dr. Jang returned to his pot, stirring it occasionally. "Am I to assume you two have solved your problem?"

"That is correct," she affirmed, grabbing the book that would help her figure out the opening date of the Heaven's door. She opened the book but stared at the Chinese characters sightlessly. Once again, she felt ridiculously conflicted. Her heart was still dancing in glee at reconciling with Choi Young. But her head was frowning in confusion.

_Do I really have to go home?_

After a long dinner with the Wu Dal Chi soldiers, and an even longer walk around the moonlit gardens, Choi Young took Eun Soo's hand and led her to his room. Two oil lamps burned brightly at each end of the room, illuminating the extra bed he had had brought to the room. His bed sat against one wall and Eun Soo's sat against the opposite wall. Each bed was a feather mattress sitting on top of a wooden bed frame.

He didn't see her frown.

"I need to speak with Deok Man," he said, turning for the door. "I'll be back soon."

Eun Soo watched him leave and then returned her attention to the awkward furniture placement._ How am I supposed to seduce him if we have two separate beds?_ She shook her head, knowing this was typical Choi Young, being all noble and whatnot.

"Screw being noble," she firmly announced to the empty room and got to work.

Choi Young strode into his room and set his sword down just as Eun Soo extinguished one of the oil lamps, throwing the room into a sensual dimness. His eyes widened as he took in her form, clad only in a silk robe. And slowly, his brain registered that the two bed frames were empty. Their mattresses had been placed on the floor and pushed together to create one large bed in the middle of the room.

Suddenly, he couldn't breathe. "What are you doing?"

Eun Soo stepped slowly up to him and placed her hands on his shoulders. Raising herself on her tiptoes, she pressed her lips to his. His brain fogged and his heart hammered erratically at the feel of her mouth on his, the soft curves of her body melting into him.

She pulled back but kept her body close. Her whisper echoed like war drums in his ears.

"Be with me tonight."

He swallowed hard. "I should not dishonor you like that."

She smiled and cupped his cheek. "Then honor me like that."

Choi Young's arms came around her body as his mouth descended on hers. He kissed her like a dying man, putting his entire being into the tangling of their tongues and the meeting of their lips.

"Wait," Eun Soo gasped after a minute, breaking away.

He immediately dropped his hands and stepped back, believing she was having second thoughts. But she pulled the tie of her robe and let it fall to the floor in a puddle. Her naked body shone white in the lamplight like the finest porcelain. For a moment, he could nothing but wonder at how he had become the luckiest man on the planet.

She approached him shyly, resisting the urge to cover her breasts. With shaking hands, she untied his belt and removed his robes until he stood in nothing but his pants. When she reached for his waistband, he grabbed her wrists.

"Eun Soo," he began, clearing his throat awkwardly. "I want you to know that I…well, that I…have never done this before."

Letting out her held breath, she gazed at him through her lashes. "Me neither. I guess that makes us even."

After her confession, his whole body relaxed. He swept her off her feet and deposited her on the bed, covering her body with his. She squirmed beneath him, only further stoking the fire in his groin. With reverence, he explored her beautiful breasts. He especially enjoyed the little mewling noises she made in her throat when he traced a finger over her taunt nipple.

"Do you like this?" He asked breathlessly, eyes devouring her.

She nodded shakily, hands clinging to his thick biceps. When he brought his head down, and laved his tongue over the same nipple, she cried out.

Choi Young spent the next few minutes worshipping her bountiful breasts before removing his pants. He reached down between them and ran his fingers through the soft hair at the apex of her legs. She stiffened and he quickly looked into her eyes. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, her eyes brimming with trust. "Please."

He raised himself on his elbows and guided his shaft to the place between her legs. Very slowly, he pushed into her sleek wetness. When he encountered a barrier, he pressed hard against it until it gave way. She arched against him and her fingernails dug into his arms. The feeling of her tight sheath around him was almost his undoing. Breathing hard, he stilled, willing himself to maintain control.

But Eun Soo had her own ideas. Now that the pain was receding, a pleasant feeling of fullness began to spread through her body. She moved her hips against him and he groaned, squeezing his eyes shut. She grinned, suddenly understanding the true power women could wield.

She began a slowly, undulating rhythm that caused Choi Young's muscles to flex and tighten deliciously above her. He began to move with her, and the feeling of fullness became a pleasurable tide of warm honey that coursed through her veins.

Something seemed to be gathering inside of her. As if the honey was pooling in her lower abdomen, filling some invisible pot. Choi Young increased the speed of his thrusts and she lifted her hips further, meeting every slick jolt. Without warning, the honey exploded from the pot and stars danced before her eyes. Choi Young cried out her name.

With the utmost tenderness, Choi Young moved to lay beside her, stroking her cheek. He gathered her into his arms, cradling her in a protective cocoon with his body. She snuggled into his chest, feeling as if her heart would burst from loving him so much. In that instant, she made up her mind.

_I won't leave him._

_Ever._

Gi Cheol grinned like a madman at the messenger. The Heaven's door was open! He whirled around, addressing his siblings with fanatical glee.

"Bring me Eui Seon."


	6. Chapter 6

Choi Young ran a fingertip down Eun Soo's bare shoulder, marveling at the pure silk softness of her skin. She still slept, her head resting on his chest, her hair a satiny cascade spilling across his neck and shoulders. Her light breaths warmed his skin and his heart.

_I can't live without her._

He had finally come to the realization that he could never willingly part from her. They could live here or in her world, it didn't matter. There was no way he was going to give her up. Nothing, not even the king-not even the kingdom-was more important than her.

Without thought, he tightened his arms around her. _She's mine forever._

She stirred in his embrace, her beautiful eyes slowly opening as she tilted her head back to look at him. "Good morning, captain."

He couldn't help but grin like an idiot. "Good morning."

Eun Soo adjusted herself so that she lay in crook of his arm, one leg thrown over his. "What should we do today?"

Choi Young couldn't answer because the movement had caused the blanket to shift lower, revealing just the top of a nipple. Choi Young's eyes grew hot and he slowly settled his body over hers.

"I can think of a few things," he replied, capturing her lips.

-30 minutes later-

"You know, we have to leave this bed eventually."

Choi Young stopped stroking her hair, further tangled by their second round of love making, and frowned. "I am surprised we haven't been interrupted—"

"Captain?" Came Dae Man's quivering voice from behind the closed door. "Are you alive?"

Eun Soo gave Choi Young a "I told you so" look and he shook his head. He climbed out of bed, gloriously naked, pulled on his pants, and strode angrily to the door. He paused, motioned for Eun Soo to hide under the covers, then threw open the door. "What?"

Dae Man jumped back a step and swallowed hard. "Sorry, captain. I just—you never sleep so much anymore—I didn't—you know—and the king has summoned you to the council meeting—I didn't know what to tell him—"

"Tell him I will be there as soon as I can. And bring breakfast," Choi Young ordered and closed the door on the still-stammering soldier.

Eun Soo popped her head out of the covers and gave him an exasperated look. "That wasn't very nice!"

After a quick breakfast-followed by some fooling around while bathing-Choi Young finally stepped out of the room. He turned at the threshold and kissed his woman. "Do not leave this room until I return."

Eun Soo smiled and smoothed her hands down his black tunic. "We have some things to talk about when you get back."

He nodded and resisted the urge to ignore the king's command. "Yes, we do."

"Have a nice day," she said, giving him a mock salute as he turned to go. He looked back at her three times before reluctantly turning his head forward.

She closed the door and leaned against it, feeling as if her heart would burst from sheer joy. _I can't wait to tell him that I'm staying!_

The king hid a smirk as Choi Young approached and bowed. He knew all about Eui Seon staying in Choi Young's quarters the night before. And from the tired but satisfied look on his captain's face, he could tell something momentous had happened between the two.

_He deserves to be happy_, the king thought before he began the council session.

Gi Cheol's attack was well-coordinated and ruthless. After silently killing all of the guards, he easily lured Eui Seon out of the Wu Dal Chi compound by pretending to have captured Choi Young. She came out in a fiery rage but was quickly extinguished when she realized she'd been duped. He knocked her out, tied her up, and put her in a carriage. They were off towards the Heaven's Gate while Choi Young listened disinterestedly to the council meeting. And when Choi Young finally felt a prickle of unease and went to investigate, he found all of Gi Cheol's siblings waiting to do battle with him in the courtyard in order to buy Gi Cheol time to get to the gate.

With a pure, clean rage at the thought of losing Eui Seon, Choi Young cut through the siblings as quickly as possible. But still, it took time to defeat the strong warriors. When the last one fell, he jumped on a horse and galloped towards the Heaven's Gate.

Eun Soo fought desperately against Gi Cheol's iron grip as he dragged her towards the shimmering gate. They were only feet away from the opening when pounding hoofbeats echoed through the air. She was able to see her lover's face one last time before she was shoved through the gate.

She hit the concrete hard and lay there gasping. Gingerly, she turned over and looked at the undulating light of the gate, expecting to see Gi Cheol follow in her wake. But he never came. And suddenly, the gate began to shrink.

"No!" She screamed and struggled to her feet.

But, right as she stepped toward the gate, it disappeared with a loud sucking noise. She was left in the darkness, staring at the feet of the giant marble Buddha at Bongeunsa Temple in Seoul.

Sinking down to her knees, she let her tears fall freely. She was back home and would never see Choi Young again.

She lay there, at the feet of Buddha, for what felt like hours. Staring at the stars, listening to the honking and hustling, the noises of present-day Seoul.

_Get up, Eun Soo. You knew this day would come. Now get up and live. You know that's what he would want._

She stumbled out of the temple grounds and stood by the busy road. Raising her hand to hail a taxi, she quickly brought her hand back down. _I don't have any money_, she thought morosely, ready to cry all over again.

With a sniffle, she stuck her hands in her pockets and removed only her notebook. She stared at it, her heart constricting. She had been trying to decipher the dates when Gi Cheol had showed up.

_And took me away from the love of my life._

_Stop it!_ She chided herself. _Choi Young would never want to see you so weak._

Taking a deep breath, she hailed a taxi, told the driver a terrible story of being mugged, and then had him drop her off at the police station a few blocks from her house. Once inside her apartment, she sank to the floor next to her door and once again let her misery out.

-2 months later-

Eun Soo looked around the conference room and took another heavy swallow of fragrant coffee to try and quell the nausea in her stomach. For the third day in a row, her stomach was feeling queasy. The nasally drone emanating from the new plastic surgeon at her clinic wasn't helping her feel any better. She tried to concentrate on his words but all she heard were muted sounds.

Suddenly, a wave of dizziness swept over her. With all of her colleagues watching, she pushed away from the conference table and ran for the bathroom. She vomited until her stomach was empty.

"Choi Young," she cried, tears sliding down her face. "I miss you so much!"

She sat awkwardly on the floor of the bathroom, weeping, until someone entered the stall next to her. With as much dignity as she could muster, she got up and went to the sink. She washed her mouth out and tried to fix her ruined makeup. After the other person left, she stood there, staring at her pale face in the mirror.

_Why am I sick like this? I'm only queasy in the morning and I usually feel fine after that—_

Eun Soo gasped and gripped the sink hard. She sprinted from the bathroom, down the hall, and into her office to grab her purse. Then, she clattered in her tall heels down the stairs to the pharmacy on the first floor.

10 minutes later, back in the bathroom, holding the three completed tests, she slowly opened her eyes.

"Choi Young," she whispered in shock. "We're going to have a baby."


	7. Chapter 7

Eun Soo sat at her kitchen table, staring sightlessly at the notebook. She had finally managed to decipher the dates in the notebook using her knowledge of Earth science. Then, with exhaustive research on the internet and in the library, she had figured out that the dates in the left column were dates where Choi Young was involved in a battle or some kind of dangerous situation. The dates in the right column turned out to be the dates when the gate had opened. Through her historical research, she had also discovered twelve more dates when an unusual incident, similar to the opening of a gate, had occurred.

Her heart trembled as she looked at the last date written in the right column—the date she had been thrust through the gate by Gi Cheol. _There are no more dates after that. How can I ever get back to him?_

With wet eyes she placed a hand over her growing belly. She was now four months along and her abdomen had begun to swell. By replacing her slim-fitting clothes with fuller materials, she had been able to hide her secret from her parents, friends, and coworkers. _But in another two months,_ she thought wryly, _even a muumuu won't be able to cover my bump!_

"Your grandparents are going to kill me when they find out!" she said, gently massaging her stomach. Even though her baby was merely the size of a grapefruit, she already loved him or her more than anything in the world. _Well, I guess you're equal with Choi Young,_ she amended with a weary smile.

Tears formed again and she blinked rapidly to quell them. She hadn't given up hope that she would see Choi Young again. She had to keep going for his sake and for the sake of their baby.

"I need to call you something other than baby," she thought out loud. The doctor had said she would be notified of the baby's sex at her next check up.

With a sigh, she laid her head on the open notebook, staring at the opposite page of dates. Suddenly, her eyes focused and she noticed something. She sat up quickly and brought the book to her nose. The dates for the opening of the gate seemed to have some sort of sequence to them. Eun Soo's heart began racing with excitement.

"You will know your father," she said firmly to her stomach, switching on smart phone and choosing the calculator app. "I promise."

"It's an algorithm," said Dr. Lee, peering at Eun Soo through his glasses. "An algorithm is an effective method expressed as a finite list of well-defined instructions for calculating a function. Starting from an initial state and initial input, the instructions describe a computation that, when execute, proceeds through a finite number of well-defined successive states, eventually producing "output"and terminating at a final ending state."

Eun Soo rolled her eyes and nodded. "I took your calculus class, Dr. Lee, so I know what an algorithm is."

Her former professor smirked at her with his slightly gaunt, but kind, face. "If I remember correctly, Ms. Yoo, you spent more time flirting than studying."

She smirked back. "Still got an A, didn't I?"

Dr. Lee just shook his head good naturedly and returned his attention to the computer screen before him. "I've inputted the algorithm I derived from the dates you supplied and have produced every possible successive result. Here's the list of the results in the form of day, month, and year."

Eun Soo took the print out with shaking hands. She took a deep breath and looked at the first date.

_April 14, 2014. 13 months away._

She quickly did the math in her head. Her baby boy, who she had decided to name Choi Min Ho, would be 8 months old.

With a whoop of joy, she leaned down and gave the old mathematician a peck on the cheek. "Thank you so much, professor! I totally owe you one!"

For the next two months, Eun Soo began prepared for her and Min Ho's future life in the past. She made lists and lists of everything she wanted to take with her. And then, after realizing she couldn't drive a semi-truck through the gate, she began amending the lists to only include vital items.

Working on the lists gave her a renewed sense of life, a fulfilling sense of joy. Her heart felt as if it would burst from happiness and her dreams were filled with a handsome Choi Young and an adorable Min Ho. But, as with all things, the day of reckoning had come. The day she had been dreading for six months.

She had to go tell her parents about Min Ho.

Surprisingly, the big reveal to her parents went pretty well. Eun Soo had poured all of her sincerity into a fabricated story about how the weirdly dressed man who had kidnapped her from the convention had actually been an undercover NIS agent. Using some true facts and some bald-faced lies, she detailed Choi Young's personality and how they fell in love. And, despite the ridiculousness of the tale, her parents believed the emotion shining from her eyes...if not the story itself.

She had left them after explaining that they could meet Choi Young when he ended his service, but that any kind of contact would be too risky for all of them until his life as an undercover agent was over. Being excellent parents, they promised to support her throughout her pregnancy and were extremely excited to be future grandparents.

_I hate lying to them_, she thought while driving back to her apartment. _But they need to have something to cling to when Min Ho and I disappear next year._

Choi Min Ho was born on August 9th, 2013.

On the other side of the gate, in the past, Choi Young woke suddenly from a vivid dream, his heart hammering in his chest. For once in the last nine, agonizing months, he felt a glimmer of hope that he would see his true love again.


End file.
